Perched on the second story of a café in Erbil, the vibrant capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, I couldn’t help but admire the remarkable city the Kurdish people have forged and preserved against the backdrop of decades marked by strife. The striking contrast between their pursuit of religious freedom and racial tolerance stands in stark relief to the chaos wrought by extremist factions such as al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and ISIS, whose attempts to supplant governance with theocracies have led only to death, repression, and poverty.
“When ISIS targeted our village, their brutal tactic was beheading,” recounted 38-year-old Dlo, the country director for Free the Oppressed, DBA Free Burma Rangers in Iraq and Kurdistan. “Despite identifying as Kurds, they viewed us as infidels—regardless of our adherence to Islam. They were simply indoctrinated into a savage interpretation of faith.”
Comprising 30–40 million individuals, the Kurds constitute one of the world’s most significant stateless nations, dispersed across Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. Predominantly Sunni Muslims, they exhibit a distinctly more secular and moderate worldview than their neighbors, communicating in Kurdish, an Indo-European language closely related to Persian. Over recent decades, Kurdish military forces have cooperatively engaged with the United States in two major conflicts: aiding in the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003 and playing a critical role in combating ISIS from 2014 to 2019.
During the ISIS onslaught, as the Iraqi army crumbled, the Peshmerga forces steadfastly defended their territory. With the backing of U.S. air strikes, weaponry, training, and on-the-ground advisors, they became indispensable allies in the conflict. Kurdish society has historically granted women a significant role, including in military affairs; by 2014, at least 600 women were active in the ranks of the Peshmerga, highlighting a sizable commitment to gender equality markedly absent in the extremist groups they combated.
In the aftermath of the 2003 U.S. invasion, Kurdish Peshmerga forces fought alongside American troops, where CIA and U.S. special forces facilitated joint operations that ultimately dismantled Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime. The atrocities committed during Saddam’s reign escalated to genocidal levels during the 1988 Anfal campaign, culminating in the deaths of between 50,000 to 182,000 Kurds due to chemical attacks, mass executions, and the razing of entire villages. The infamous chemical assault on Halabja alone claimed the lives of at least 5,000 civilians in a single day.
Dlo’s upbringing was marred by those harrowing years, experiencing firsthand the devastation under Saddam’s tyranny. It is estimated that between 1.5 to 2 million Kurds fled to mountains or crossed into Turkey and Iran seeking refuge. Dlo’s family was among them, forced to escape to Iran following an attack on their village.
“I can still recall my parents recounting our experience,” Dlo reflected. “As refugees in Iran, we stayed for a few weeks, and upon returning, we discovered our home reduced to rubble, windows shattered, and our belongings stripped clean. We found ourselves starting anew—again.”
This relentless cycle of displacement has become synonymous with the Kurdish condition: “Time and again, we return and rebuild our lives. It’s exhausting, but perseverance is ingrained in us,” lamented Dlo.
When ISIS launched its invasion of Iraq in 2014, seizing Mosul and advancing ominously close to Erbil, the Iraqi army’s complete disintegration starkly contrasted with the unwavering stance of the Peshmerga. Supported by U.S. forces, they provided vital air cover, weaponry, equipment, and on-the-ground assistance.
From 2014 to 2017, Peshmerga forces sustained substantial losses, with approximately 1,300 to 1,466 fighters killed and around 8,000 to 8,610 injured while defending an extensive frontline exceeding 1,000 kilometers. This formidable defense liberated over 50,000 square kilometers from ISIS control.
ISIS notoriously singled out Kurdish communities while committing genocide against the Yazidis, a peaceful, Kurdish-speaking minority lacking military power. Considered infidels, the Yazidis relied on the Peshmerga to protect their significant historical territory in Sinjar.
Kurdish forces from Syria, alongside the YPG (People’s Protection Units) and PKK fighters from Turkey, established a humanitarian corridor that rescued tens of thousands of Yazidis. Subsequently, some Yazidi militias joined forces with the Peshmerga, all under the aegis of U.S. support.
Having witnessed the joint training of Peshmerga by U.S. forces, Dlo later joined the Free Burma Rangers, working as a combat medic to aid in the evacuation of civilians facing the onslaught of violence. This shared struggle against extremism has fostered a robust pro-American sentiment among the Kurdish populace.
However, the robust relationship took a hit in October 2019 when U.S. forces withdrew from northeastern Syria, creating an opportunity for Turkey—ironically a NATO ally—to mount a military offensive against Syrian Kurdish forces.
The U.S. relationship with various Kurdish factions across Iraq, Syria, and Turkey is a web of complexity. The Iraqi Peshmerga’s allegiance lies with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq, a formal U.S. ally. In contrast, the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party), based in Turkey, is classified as a terrorist organization by both Turkey and the U.S., despite its long-standing struggle against the Turkish state.
The YPG and SDF represent Syrian Kurdish forces that emerged as America’s primary partners in the fight against ISIS. Yet, their connection to the PKK complicates this partnership, resulting in a perplexing scenario where U.S. support for the YPG occurs simultaneously with Turkish military operations against them. Turkey has also backed extremist factions in Syria that pose threats to Kurdish and other minority communities. Today, the Kurdish-controlled area in Syria harbors not only Kurds but also Christians, Yazidis, and Alawites fleeing atrocities committed by extremist cohorts aligned with al-Jolani’s HTS regime.
This tangled dynamic has ignited friction between the Trump administration and Turkey, leading many U.S. Christians and conservatives to ponder the rationale behind Ankara’s continued membership in NATO, particularly given its alliances with Islamist militias and ties to Russia.
In 1991, the United States and allied forces established a no-fly zone north of the 36th parallel, thus shielding the Kurds from the oppressive reach of Saddam Hussein’s military. This protective measure fostered the emergence of Kurdish self-governance and sowed the seeds for eventual autonomy.
Post the U.S. invasion in 2003, Kurds took integral roles in shaping Iraq’s new constitution, which in 2005 formally acknowledged the Kurdistan Region as an autonomous federal entity. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was then endowed with its own parliament, president, legal framework, Peshmerga military forces, and even border management authority. Spanning roughly 40,000 square kilometers, the KRG comprises the provinces of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Dohuk, and Halabja.
Absent U.S. intervention first through the no-fly zone and subsequently through Saddam’s removal, Kurdish autonomy might have never materialized. This reality underpins the robust pro-American sentiment among the Iraqi Kurds, who predominantly perceive the U.S. as their stalwart protector of freedom and security.
In the aftermath of Saddam’s fall, the Kurdish regions were the only areas in Iraq classified as secure by the U.S. government. According to the KRG, not a single coalition soldier was reported killed, nor was any foreigner kidnapped in the KRG-administered territory post-2003. Today, Erbil stands as the wealthiest and safest city in Iraq, ranking among the most stable in the region.
While many Iraqis grapple with persistent shortages, the average income in Erbil closely mirrors the national average, complemented by consistent provision of electricity, water, cellular service, and Wi-Fi. Kurdistan is comparatively safe, establishing itself as the most secure region within Iraq. Consequently, both foreign and domestic investment continue to surge, rendering the entire area akin to a bustling construction site, with ongoing developments of apartments and shopping malls.
